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Monday, February 09, 2004

Clean Sweep

TLC's Clean Sweep is my new favorite decorating/home improvement show. I watch it almost every day when I get home from work. On the one hand, it is inspiring, more so than just a decorating show, in that getting organized and learning how to let go of some of my belongings is more my problem than how to decorate a room. On the other hand, it also makes me feel better about my pack rat-ness because most of the people featured on the show are much worse than me! But I can see elements of myself in some of those people and know I need help in this area. (Did you see the "Friends Don't Let Friends Keep Leisure Suits" episode? Stacie has all these pens that she can't seem to get rid of. I have a mini-crate full of pens of every shape, size and color. I could never use that many pens in my lifetime, but I continue to save them.)

So this weekend I went on a big cleaning binge. Our "guestroom" could be featured on Clean Sweep, since it essentially serves as my walk-in closet slash miscellaneous storage area. You usually can't see the bed because I have clothes piled on top of it. In the dresser drawers are a ton of work papers I need to sort through, with saved craft magazines on top (but organized very nicely in magazine racks by date). My craft supplies and photos are stored in plastic bins under the bed, although some are spilling over.

I ended up with two big bags of trash and that's just the beginning. But you can now see the bed and I can acually close the closet door all the way. I was finally able to part with the pair of Nike high-top sneakers I wore when I played basketball in high school. I threw away a whole drawer full of belts - I'm not kidding, there must have been about 20 or 30 belts in this drawer and I couldn't even tell you the last time I actually wore (or needed) a belt. I organized some other things into piles for storing in various other places around the house, including a big pile of papers that needs to filed in the filing cabinet. I started a clothes pile for Goodwill and even have a few things I want to sell on eBay (something I've never tried to do before). After payday this week, I'm heading to Walmart to buy some plastic storage bins to continue my organization quest.

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I didn't watch the Grammy's last night. I didn't have the energy to commit to it. We watched some of the Pro Bowl instead.

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Saturday I dropped off all the paperwork to have our taxes done. The sooner the refund, the better!

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My sister-in-law is trying to talk me into joining Curves with her. Anyone out there have an experience they'd like to share - please e-mail me. She loves it and her membership includes guest passes, so I think I might try it a couple of times next week.

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I think after we have finished paying off our dryer, we're going to buy a new washer the next time 0% for a year is available at Sears. Our washer is still working, but it's old and doesn't seem to be working very well. Hayley's clothes are hard to get clean, even after treating them with Spray 'n Wash and OxyClean. I'd also like a washer with a much bigger capacity, especially for Hayley's clothes and Mark's work/garage clothes. This is definitely next on my house wish list...